Omnidirectional spring mass initiator (u)

ABSTRACT

An omnidirectional spring mass initiator system for use in a weapon system responsive to any direction of weapon-target impact comprising a chamber of any geometric shape, said chamber having at least one opening into said chamber; a flexible support means having a secured end and another end which is operatively positioned for insertion into the chamber through said at least one opening; and an accelerometer mass-contacting means attached to said other end of the support means. The contacting means is responsive to deceleration and, when inserted into the chamber, positioned in the center, thereof, so as to be capable of contacting some portion of the inner surface of the chamber in response to the deceleration of the system caused by any direction of weapon and target impact. The entire inner surface of the chamber is coated with a contact-sensitive lining such that when the contacting means comes into contact with the contact-sensitive lining a resultant response occurs which initiates the fuse mechanism.

United States Patent [111 3,631,804

[72] Inventors Matthew E. Anderson 2,972,026 2/ 1961 Kendal 102/702 X Ontario; 2,983,800 5/1961 Rabinow 102/702 X 21 A I N 222121 Riverside bom Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt I g 20 1968 Assistant ExaminerThomas H. Webb a [45] rammed Jam 4, 1972 AttorneysE. J. Brower and J. M. St. Amand [73] Assignee The United States of America as v by sweaty the Navy ABSTRACT: An omnidirectional spring mass initiator system for use in a weapon system responsive to any direction of 541 OMNIDIRECTIONAL SPRING MASS mmnon F impact miprising chambe' f f l (U) slliapegesaid ftihambiber having at leai :l one opemrli gdintrzI 8313 I i c am r; a exi e suppo means ving a secu en an 4 c 2 on another end which is operatively positioned for insertion into [52] U.S.Cl. 102/73, th hamber through said at least one opening; and an acl02/70.2 R celerometer mass-contacting means attached to said other end fl F42c 1/00 of the support meansv The contacting means is responsive to [50] Flu ofsal'dl 1. 102/702, 8, deceleration and, when inserted into the chamber, positioned 73; 4/20 in the center, thereof, so as to be capable of contacting some portion of the inner surface of the chamber in response to the [56] km CM deceleration of the system caused by any direction of weapon UNITED STATES PATENTS and target impact. The entire inner surface of the chamber is 2,463,154 3/1949 Coppotelli 102/73 X coated with a contact-sensitive lining such that when the con- 2,569,808 10/1951 102/8 tacting means comes into contact with the contact-sensitive 2,881,276 4/ 1959 102/702 X lining a resultant response occurs which initiates the fuse 2,961,961 1 1/1960 Kendal et a1 102/702 X mechanism.

' illlinllhilg g s g ill s51 Ii v I OMNIDIRECTIONAL SPRING MASS INITIATOR (U) The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to an initiator system for use in a fusing device. More particularly, it relates to an omnidirectional spring mass initiator system which is responsive to any direction of weapon-target impact.

At present, unidirectional initiator systems are used in fusing devices. As a result, a large number of duds result when the weapons impact direction is a direction not sensitive to the unidirectional explosive initiator as often occurs in weapons which tumble from launch to target impact. The present invention provides an omnidirectional initiator system which is sensitive to any impact direction. Such a system is required for initiating the explosive in weapons which do not have aerodynamic shapes. Such an omnidirectional initiator is also required in weapons having aerodynamic shapes when lowlevel launches do not provide sufficient time for the weapon to orient itself in the nose to forward position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spring mass initiator system which is responsive to any direction of weapontarget impact.

This objective is accomplished by providing an omnidirectional spring mass initiator comprising a chamber of any geometric shape having at least one opening into said chamber, a flexible support means having a secured end and another end which is operably positioned for insertion into the chamber through said at least one opening, and an accelerometer mass-contacting means attached to said other end of said support means. The contacting means is responsive to deceleration and, when inserted into the chamber positioned in the center thereof so as to be capable of contacting some portion of the inner surface, thereof, in response to the deceleration caused by a weapon-target impact in any direction. The entire inner surface of said chamber is coated with a lining of a contact-sensitive means such that when the contacting means comes into contact with the contact-sensitive lining a resultant response occurs which initiates the fuse mechanism.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a dimetric view, partly in section, showing one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a dimetric view, partly in section, showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a chamber 1 having any geometric shape, such as a spherical or ellipsoidal shape, is provided with a main opening 3. The inner surface 5 of the chamber 1 is coated with a stab-sensitive explosive 6. This could be of the type NOL No. 130 primer mixture as described by Donald E. Seeger, Investigation of the NOL No. 130 Primer Mixture, Technical Report 2164, Picatinny Arsenal, 1955. Another suitable explosive is a spray on mixture of silver acetylide and silver nitrate. This is described by Dr. Robert Stadler, Analytic and Explosive Technical Investigations on Silver Acetylide, Technical Report No. 2, Project No. 02-1770(IR) Southwest Research Institute, Aug. 1966. A flexible support means 4, such as a closely wound spring, having one secured end 11 and another end 12, which is operably positioned for insertion into the chamber 1 through said main opening 3, is aligned with said opening 3 and with the center of the chamber 1. A spiked accelerometer mass-contacting means 2, resembling a mace, is attached to said other end 12 of the support means 4. The contacting means 2 is responsive to deceleration and, when inserted into the chamber, is positioned therein so as to be capable of contacting and stabbing some portion of the stab-sensitive explosive 6 in response to the deceleration of the weapons system caused by any direction of weapon-target impact. The

walls of the chamber 1 contain at least one other opening 7 which serves as a means for initiatin a response to the explosron of the stab-sensitive explosive such as triggering an explosive train.

The design characteristics of the chamber 1 in association with the design characteristics of the closely wound spring 4 determine the amount of delay reaction in the system and also the amount of impact force required to trigger the system. These characteristics can be adapted to meet the needs of any particular fusing system.

Referring to FIG. 2 in which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts, another embodiment is shown wherein an electrical system replaces the stab-explosive system. The inner wall 5 of the chamber 1 is lined with an electrically conductive material such as gold-plated copper l0. Said electrically conductive liner 10 is in electrical circuit with a battery 8 and an explosive Gain 9. Also in the circuit is an electrically conductive contacting means 2. The external circuit comprising the battery 8 and the explosive train 9 constitutes means for initiating a response to the contacting means coming into contact with the contact-sensitive means.

The connection between the contacting means 2 and the explosive train 9 can be either direct or through the flexible support means 4. When the weapon system is decelerated by contact with a target, the contacting means 2 is free to move in response to the direction of impact. When the contacting means 2 comes into contact with the electrically conductive liner, the circuit comprising the conductive liner 10, the battery 8, the contacting means 2, and the explosive train 9 is completed thus triggering the explosive train 9.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator for use in a weapon fusing system comprising:

a. a chamber of any geometric shape having at least one opening into said chamber,

b. a single flexible support means having a secured end and another end which is operably positioned for insertion into said chamber through said at least one opening,

c. a contacting means attached to said other end of said flexible support means,

. contact-sensitive means covering the inner surface of said chamber, said contact-sensitive means comprising a stabsensitive spray on explosive,

e. means for initiating a resultant response to explosion of said stab-sensitive explosive whereby the response of the contacting means coming into contact with the contactsensitive means is relayed to the fusing system, said contacting means being a spiked accelerometer mass responsive to deceleration and positionable in the center of said chamber so as to be capable of contacting some position of the inner surface, thereof, in response to the deceleration caused by any direction of weapon-target impact.

2. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contacting means comprises a macelike structure with sharp spikes protruding from its surface.

3. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber has a spherical shape.

4. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible support means comprises a closely wound spring. 

1. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator For use in a weapon fusing system comprising: a. a chamber of any geometric shape having at least one opening into said chamber, b. a single flexible support means having a secured end and another end which is operably positioned for insertion into said chamber through said at least one opening, c. a contacting means attached to said other end of said flexible support means, d. contact-sensitive means covering the inner surface of said chamber, said contact-sensitive means comprising a stabsensitive spray on explosive, e. means for initiating a resultant response to explosion of said stab-sensitive explosive whereby the response of the contacting means coming into contact with the contact-sensitive means is relayed to the fusing system, f. said contacting means being a spiked accelerometer mass responsive to deceleration and positionable in the center of said chamber so as to be capable of contacting some position of the inner surface, thereof, in response to the deceleration caused by any direction of weapon-target impact.
 2. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contacting means comprises a macelike structure with sharp spikes protruding from its surface.
 3. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber has a spherical shape.
 4. An omnidirectional spring mass initiator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flexible support means comprises a closely wound spring. 